Containers



L. A. MICALLE F CONTAINERS Filed May 13, 1963 INVENTOR. LEWIS A. MICALLEF BY M M 7 W ATTORNEYLS April 19, .1966

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United States Patent 3,246,807 CONTAINERS Lewis A. Micallef, New York, N.Y., assignor to Leeds and Micallef, New York, N.Y., a partnership FiledpMay 13, 1963, Ser. No. 279,965 4 Claims. (Gran-207 This invention relates to dispensing containers and particularly dispensing containers of the so-called squeeze- .bottle type. Such containers consist essentially ,of a bottle formed of plastic which is sufiiciently resilient for its walls to be flattened or deformed to a limited extent by moderate pressure and to return to their normal contour when the pressure is removed. The bottles are usually provided with an end closure having a discharge nozzle through which the contents of the bottle are dispensed by squeezing the bottle and thereby reducing its volumetric capacity. After each squeeze the pressure is relieved and the bottle resumes its normal shape, thereby drawing in air to replace the discharged commodity.

For liquids or pastes which are used in predetermined quantities, .squeeze bottles are not altogether satisfactory for the reason that it is diflicult to accurately gauge the amount discharged at each operation, even when the commodity is discharged into a measuring cup with index lines on its walls. Only by repeated additions of small increments can reasonable accuracy be obtained. The principal object of my invention is to provide a squeeze bottle container by means of which the contents may be quickly dispensed in accurately predetermined increments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container of this character which can be manufactured at a cost but little greater than squeeze bottles of like capacity of conventional design. A further object of the invention is to provide such a container wherein the quantity discharged at each operation may be varied within a reasonable range.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a preferred form of my new container and also a modified form wherein the discharged quantity may be varied.

In the said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of my improved container, with the parts of the dispensing portion in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the dispensing portion of the container with the parts in open position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, but at right angles thereto; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIG. 2, showing modifications.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIG; 1, 1 indicates the body of the container which is of generally cylindrical form with a neck portion 2 of reduced diameter.

Below the neck 2 is a shoulder 3 of somewhat larger diameter than the neck proper to which is fitted the open end of the closure cap 4.

The neck 2 is formed with a molded thread 5 to which is attached a measuring cup indicated as a whole by the numeral 6. The measuring cup may be made of any suitable material, but preferably consists of molded plastic,

of the shape shown in the drawings, which shape facilitates the molding of the cup at a single operation.

Formed in the center of the bottom 7 of the cup is a tubular sleeve 8 concentric with the axis of the cup and of a height somewhat less than the height of the side wall 9. A similar sleeve 10 of somewhat lesser axial length and larger diameter extends downwardly from the bottom of the cup, the two sleeves forming a continuous passage for the discharge of the contents of the bottle into the cup. Fitted to the sleeve 10 is a flexible tube 11 which extends to the bottom of the bottle so'that the entire contents of the bottom may be dispensed with the the bottle held in 3,246,807 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 distance su'ch thatthe bottom end of the stopper portion will be abovethe end of the sleeve 8 when the plug is raised and the prongs engage the bottom of the cup.

The operation of the closure will be obvious from the foregoing description. When it is desired to dispense the predetermined quantity of the contents of the bottle the user lifts the plug 14 until the prongs 16 engage the bottom of the cup as shown in FIG. 2. He then squeezes the bottle, while holding it in upright position, until the level of liquid in the cup is above the top of the sleeve 8. He then releases the pressure on the bottle, allowing it to resume its normal contour. When the pressure is released, liquid will flow back into the bottle until the level of the liquid in the cup is at the open end of the sleeve 8. The user then pushes the plug 14 down until the stopper portion closes the sleeve 6 and pours out the contents of the cup which will be accurately measured quantity.

In FIG. 4 I have shown a modification of the above structure wherein the quantity of liquid retained in the cup may be varied within a predetermined range. As here shown the tube 8a rising from the bottom of the cup is threaded on its inner surface as shown at 20 and threaded into the tube 8a is a sleeve 21 which has an upper threaded portion and an extension of reduced external diameter and enlarged internal diameter to provide a shoulder 23 between the threaded portion and the extension. The closure 14 is the same as used in the -previous ly described container and is of sufiicient length for the prongs 17 to engage the shoulder 23 when the plug is suificiently elevated for the contents of the container to be discharged. 1 The sleeve 21 can be screwed into the tube 8a to different distances and when the cap is raised to its upper position and the bottle is squeezed there will be a rise of liquid in the cup to a level coextensive with the top of the tube 21 or above, and when the pressure on the bottle is released the liquid above the top of the tube will flow back into the bottle.

In FIG. 5 I have shown a simplerstructure for varying the amount of liquid discharged at each operation. As here shown, the cup 6a is somewhat more flared than the cup 6 of the first described structure and the stopper portion 15a of the plug 14a is somewhat longer than the stopper portion 15 of the plug 14. Otherwise the structure is the same as above described, except that a second sleeve 30 of glass or plastic surrounds the sleeve 8 and has a sliding fit thereon. Also, the sleeve 8 may be provided with scale marks 31 to facilitate adjusting the sleeve 30.

The top of the sleeve 30 is flush with the top of the sleeve 8 when in its lowermost position and when raised above that position the liquid level in the cup will be raised and the quantity measured at each operation will be correspondingly increased.

In the foregoing specification I have described the preferred embodiments of my invention, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but covers all modifications thereof as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1.. The combination with a squeeze bottle of a measuring cup having a fluid tight connection with the neck of said bottle, a discharge tube projecting upwardly from the bottom of said cup, said tube terminating below the top of said cup, and a closure comprising a member axially movable in said tube said member having an upper portion having a fluid-tight fit in the bore of said tube and a lower portion of lesser cross-sectional area to permit discharge of the bottle contents when upper portion of the member is moved to a position above the end of said tube.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the closure is provided with means for limiting its axial movement.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the closure consists of a plug having a sliding fluid-tight -fit in the bore of said tube, a cap on the outer end of said plug and resilient prongs on the lower end of said plug for engagement with an internal shoulder in said tube when said plug is raised.

4 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the discharge tube consists of a lower portion fixed to said cup and an upper portion mounted for axial movement with respect thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,969,395 8/1934 Chicoine 222492 2,699,888 1/1955 Crane 222212 2,730,270 1/1956 Heinemann 222207 X 3,094,250 6/1963 Molyneaux et al. 222212 X 3,105,618 10/1963 Whitley 2222l2 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A SQUEEZE BOTTLE OF A MEASURING CUP HAVING A FLUID TIGHT CONNECTION WITH THE NECK OF SAID BOTTLE, A DISCHARGE TUBE PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUP, SAID TUBE TERMINATING BELOW THE TOP OF SAID CUP, AND A CLOSURE COMPRISING A MEMBER AXIALLY MOVABLE IN SAID TUBE SAID MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER PORTION HAVING A FLUID-TIGHT FIT IN THE BORE OF SAID TUBE AND A LOWER PORTION OF LESSER CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA TO PERMIT DISCHARGE OF THE BOTTLE CONTENTS WHEN UPPER PORTION OF THE MEMBER IS MOVED TO A POSITION ABOVE THE END OF SAID TUBE. 